An Officer and a Victory Dance
by IfUKnewUCouldNotFail
Summary: In the euphoria of hard won success and long strived for victory, long standing barriers drop and two people find that the only fitting way to celebrate is within each others arms. A PicTag inspired by that amazing shot of Tom carrying Rachel bridal style on the flight deck of the Nathan James, posted on both Rhona and Eric's Instagram accounts. Set post imagined season 2 finale.
1. Chapter 1

A/N: Clearly this instagram pic was an effective balm for a bad case of writers block because it sure got my fingers tapping… :-)

LSLSLS

This was it. The battle won. Hard fought, but victory was theirs and they were going to enjoy it, savor it, milk it for every drop of the merriment they could find within in.

They had earned it.

Tonight was not for thinking about tomorrow, or the many more battles that inevitably awaited them at some point not too far around the corner. None of that mattered right now.

Tonight was not for remembering the world was still imperfect, it was for relishing that all their efforts, this day, and all this long year, had made it far less so. Tonight was not for thinking of everything they still had to do, it was for rejoicing in what they, against all odd, had already accomplished.

So many impossible battles, so many losses, so high the price they had all willingly paid...to make all those impossible's, possible.

For themselves, they had not asked for anything. Just given…_and given_. No one resented it, not one member of the Nathan James's crew, either its official or its ever-increasing unofficial personnel number. But still, the feeling of receiving something tangible back…_finally_, after all they had all given and sacrificed, was euphoric.

Their victory, the seeming final in this particular leg of their lives, was an almost miraculous balm to the wounded remains of the people they used to be. With their every success the crew of the Nathan James was able to picture their repair, their days and lives after the apocalypse. They were all finally starting to see a real future in a very different, but still eminently livable, world. A world that they had played no small part in saving, a future as different, but maybe even more worthy, people.

Survivors was what they were, real survivors, but first and always foremost, they were protectors and they had done their duty this day. They had done it well and it was in no way contrary to say that pride was an emotion that was overflowing on the Nathan James tonight.

So many would live this day, because of them. So many who wished ill and harm, could never hurt or hinder again. Yes, this night the future looked as bright as any day that came before the plague. Brighter even, because nobody left alive could possible take for granted what was now going to come next.

Life…life was going to come next. Life would continue, life might even thrive at some point in the near future…because of them.

No, nobody could take for granted the breath they took within themselves now. It was so precious. They had survived against the direst odds and now for the first time were experiencing their, at times precariously optimistic hope, being replaced by actual tangible prospects for a bright and real future for them all.

Effusive were the heady emotions permeating the atmosphere all around them.

They were in a sea of celebration and people, over 200 of their now closest friends and family, yet they were seemingly alone on the small densely populated battleship heading back out to the vastness of their cerulean home.

The joyous roar of voices, the festive writhing of bodies… all seemed to melt away as if the festivities were occurring over the distant horizon of the slowly sinking sun.

For it was an old cliché, but it was the only one that came close to explaining their every emotion and every action that they both knew were coming …they only had eyes for each other.

This victory was theirs. Of course it belonged to many others too, but in this moment in time, it was just theirs. They had given so much, strived for this so tirelessly…_ignored_ so much in favor of the mission at hand…

As their eyes searched and met, in that instant came the shared knowledge and joy at their accomplishment, and with it the absolute certainty that the time had come when they could ignore no more…

The airs of joyous relief and celebratory excitement were too infectious to possibly forego. It screamed for them to seize the moment, to not let another single second pass in the tiresome restraint of noble duty. Not now the job was done, their mission a success, their impossible mission brought to brilliant fruition…

Surely the time had come…

Surely no one could or would deny them now…

Not that it mattered, nothing could be done…

Nothing could stop what had now begun…

Their barriers were tumbling down, so fully they had been founded, when distance from their hearts desire had seemed so crucial. But the heavy stones were crumbling now, impossible to be replaced... They lay shattered by their feet, their very souls now forever visible to their mate. And both sets of gazes drank in the sight their souls true match.

Before even seconds passed, a mutual silent decision screamed at both that even the short distance of half a flight deck between them was completely unacceptable to their soul's desire to melt into one another this night.

Before even conscious thought there was fervent action, they moved at speed, their course unwavering. Emotions fought, too many to note or count, but in this exact moment in time, jubilation easily won. With their first touch their faces broke into clear reflections of the overwhelming joy both were feeling.

They held each other, bodies melting. Taking cues from their magnetic souls, trying to get closer still…

With an ease and grace as natural as if he had done it a thousand times, Tom lifted his beloved's whole form into his strong embrace. Rachel showed no shock at being lifted all encompassing into the Captain's arms. Only even greater merriment as her face broke into the biggest and most sincere smile of joy she had ever felt.

Everything about this felt so right and frankly magical, the stuff of fairy tales that didn't actually exist…except it did. She felt dizzy with happiness as she clung to her man… Yes, he was her man now, had been for a while. No words were needed, they both knew.

Rachel clung harder, wrapping her arms around his neck, belatedly realizing part of the reason for her faintness was that he was swinging them around in dance of delight. She marveled at the look of carefree abandon on his usually stoic features. She met his eyes in a silent communication of joy and hope, their foreheads just touching as he slowed his moments, their actions both on display and hidden as they were so similar to the various displays of celebration that were occurring in the sea of joy surrounding them.

Again it was a mutual silent communication that assured them that they were both sharing the feeling of the mood decidedly changing, but it was not a change for the worse…far from it.

As Tom slowed his movements further, to the barest swaying of their bodies, his eyes again connected to joyous deep brown ones that were now mere inches from his own. He witnessed as they darkened further, the brown receding as the black expanded. Her whole gaze shone with awakening arousal…and he was sure his own gaze mirrored hers in every way.

They stayed like that, now stationary in a sea of thriving celebration, but it was like no other's existed. It was like a switch had been flicked. They were happy, smiling, elated to be alive and victorious, all of that was true. But no longer were thoughts meandering on anything as trivial as the survival of the human race. As the throngs of their reveling friends seemed to disappear around them, their thoughts and desires turned exceedingly more selfish…

Lost in the trance her awakened desire had thrust her into, Rachel was almost unaware of her own actions until she felt the heat of her partners gaze increase on the first contact of her fingers lovingly stroking his face.

Tom briefly closed his eyes in wonder and bliss as she touched him, as she gently and reverently ran her fingers along his face as if he was so precious to her that she was afraid he might break. His heart actually did break a little at the immense emotion the act drew from him.

She was _so_ precious, and she was _his_.

No words needed to be spoken, they both knew, and what was more, they both knew the time was _now_.

_Their_ time started _now_.

LSLSLS

A/N: I hope everyone liked this! While I admit that I had every intention of this being a short little PicTag, my reawakening typing fingers didn't get the memo! So there is actually at least one more part coming and I will post it soon, but would love to know what you think of this in the meantime. :-D


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: Thank you to everyone who have followed/favorited this story, and especially everyone who have reviewed. It is wonderful to hear from you. :-D

LSLSLS

Their lips met.

It seemed neither had made the conscious decision to take this beautiful moment in time to its next logical place of significance, but joy mixed with bliss for both when they arrived there.

Their first real kiss was leisurely and slow, an exploration that held such promise.

They were both feeling the not so gradual emergence of strong arousal when a change from outside their little bubble started to bring them both somewhat back to reality.

They slowly and with obvious reluctance drew apart, their heated gazes longing to reconnect. But that would have to wait as they were promptly introduced to the reality that they were in fact not actually alone at all, as both had hoped and wished. The more viable situation for the uninterrupted continuation of the journey they were rapidly building towards that it was.

They were in fact _very_ not alone.

They were the Captain of the ship and the savior of the human race and they had just been caught standing in a crowd of their shipboard family, making love to each other with their mouths. And quite obviously someone had seen and betrayed them. For a moment ago, all had seemed to be just as lost in their own celebrations, now all eyes were on them, and the volume of their cheering, now also direction at them, had increased ten fold.

Rachel was sure that the fact that she was still held high in the Captain's arms added great effect to the moment for all the crew. With effort she stayed strong and laughed with them all for a good moment, but soon her proper British upbringing betrayed her and she blushed heavily, hiding her face in the Captain's neck. She only blushed and laughed harder when it became obvious by the even more raucous cheering from the crowd that they liked her show of shyness even more.

Tom knew he should have felt the need to chastise himself, at allowing himself to slip so far from the proper etiquette for the Captain of a ship, and in front of his entire crew too. But try as he might be could muster nothing but pride, joy and love at this moment in time, witnesses or not. Besides, as he let his gaze travel from the brown tresses that had hidden his love's face from him, as it disappeared into his neck, he looked out on all the faces of his people, and nowhere was a jot of censor to be noted.

Far from it, unrestrained delight emanated from every face he met as his gaze traveled the crowd, their smiles broadening as he met their eyes, head held high, and smiling… for how could he possibly be ashamed of the woman in his arms or their actions together? From the unanimous approving cheers and calls emanating form all quadrants of the crowd surrounding them, his entire crew seemed to agree.

He was happy they were happy, though at this stage he wasn't sure that even their disappointment in him, something that would have affected him strongly, would have been enough to cause him to sever the beautiful new connection he and Rachel were creating between them.

Speaking of the beautiful woman in his arms, he looked down to find she had retreated from her hiding place but her head still rested gloriously on his shoulder. Their eyes met and mischief played in them. He felt his love grow as he took in her shy and yet rascal-like face. She was not running, not by a long shot. She was daring him to further action.

Oh well, his crew were grown ups, most of them anyway, and they'd already seen a lot and seemed unfazed by it, might as well commit...

With that last thought, his head dived. With his hands delectably busy holding their precious cargo, that left only his head free to seek to bring them together again. But the wildcat in his arms was no shrinking violet, despite the blush of shyness she could apparently not prevent. She met him half way and they were again joined in a glorious exploration of promise as the cheering surrounding them rose to just this side of deafening.

This kiss was more fervent than their first and quickly heated further along with the crowd's applause. The passion rose along with the pleasure, both the experienced and promised. Their mutual arousal was tangible between then and echoed in their heavy breathing the few times they did indeed briefly part in traitorous need of oxygen.

With every second that passed their well meaning audience became less and less welcome as the urge to take further, and a hell of a lot less less publically acceptable actions, grew.

Finally their albeit glorious connection became simply not enough to sake their growing ardor for each other, so before either of them lost their connection with reality and embarrassed themselves, something that was _very much_ a danger, Tom took action.

He briefly considered addressing the crowd before making their departure, but quickly decided it was pointless and he couldn't bring himself to make the time or frankly form the words, his rational thought processes were disappearing very fast in his current state. Besides, it wasn't like anyone was going to be in doubt of where he was taking Rachel and for what purpose, no matter what he said, so why bother? A waste of all to precious time that could be used_ far_ more enjoyably.

So with a brief nod to those around him, a glance that barely withheld the lighthearted mischief he felt at doing something so unlike him or is position, he gathered the small form of the amazing woman in his arms even closer to him, turned towards the nearest hatch and made towards it with haste.

The crowd erupted in raucous laughter, cheers and catcalls. He didn't care, and this was hardly the time to give lectures about 'appropriate behavior'. It seemed the rules had been thrown out the window for tonight and he knew at least one rule that was going to stay out too. There was no way he was going to have Rachel, but have her for only one night.

No way in hell.

She was his now, just as he was hers.

With that last thought, he smiled, appreciated what a lucky son of bitch he was and took his woman home.

LSLSLS

A/N: Still can't stop apparently, working on another part…please let me know what you think of this so far. Reviews are love, and fabulous writer fuel. ;-)


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